Georgana’s Secret by Arlem Hawks Blog Tour Excerpt

12 Feb, 2021 by in Uncategorized Leave a comment

  • Title: Georgana’s Secret (Proper Romance Regency)
  • Author: Arlem Hawks
  • Genre: Historical Romance, Regency Romance, Inspirational Fiction
  • Publisher: Shadow Mountain Publishing (January 12, 2021)
  • Length: (320) pages
  • Trade Paperback ISBN: 978-1629727929
  • eBook ASIN: B08Q5MW1SG
  • Audiobook ASIN: B08RLRZ65Q
  • Tour Dates: January 11 – February 14, 2021

A Regency romance on the high seas. Two hearts yearning to find a safe harbor, and possibly, a lasting love.

As a young girl, Georgana Woodall dreamed of beautiful dresses, fancy balls, and falling in love. However, when her mother dies, she cannot face a future under the guardianship of her abusive grandmother and instead chooses to join her father on his ship disguised as his cabin boy, “George.”

Lieutenant Dominic Peyton has no time in his life for love, not with his dedication to His Majesty’s Royal Navy claiming his full attention. While trying to adjust to a new crew, he strives to be an exemplary officer and leader. When he sees the captain’s cabin boy being harassed by the crew, he immediately puts a stop to it and takes the “boy” under his wing. After discovering a number of clues, Dominic deduces that George is really a woman. Knowing that revealing the cabin boy’s secret would put her in serious danger from the rowdy crew, Dominic keeps silent and hides his growing affection for her.

Georgana is quickly losing her heart to Dominic’s compassion and care but is convinced nothing can come of her affection. She cannot continue to live her life on the sea, and having already missed too many seasons in London, her chances of being welcomed back into polite society and finding a suitable husband are quickly slipping away.

ADVANCE PRAISE:

“Hawks crafts a spellbinding tale featuring rich characters and raw emotions set against the atmospheric backdrop of sea life in all its danger and beauty. Georgana is a tough protagonist holding her own in a world dominated by men, while Peyton’s charm and sensitivity marks him as a true gentleman. A hidden identity, flirtation, and treachery make for a rousing tale to captivate lovers of historical romances.”— Publishers Weekly

“This tale felt sweepingly cinematic at times and was both action-packed and heart-wrenching with an immersive narrative.”— Katie Jackson, RegencyProofreading.com

Arlem Hawks wove a magnificent tale of adventure and deception and delivered a happy ever after that was as unconventional as the rest of the story. With so many stories of romance out there, it is refreshing when one comes along that is very different than the stories that I am used to. A little adventure always livens things up fabulously.”— Emily Flynn, Reading with Emily

“Fans of sweet love stories as well as readers who fondly remember those marvelous old traditional Signet Regencies will quickly succumb to the siren song of Hawk’s expertly crafted novel, which delivers the perfect blend of Jane Austen-smart romance and Patrick O’Brian flavored seafaring adventure. Teen romance readers will cheer on the plucky heroine as she finds the courage to forge her own path in life and love.”— Booklist, starred review

AUTHOR BIO:

Arlem Hawks began making up stories before she could write. Living all over the Western United States and traveling around the world gave her a love of cultures and people and the stories they have to tell. With her travels came an interest in history, especially the history of her English heritage. When she isn’t writing, Arlem is baking her characters’ favorite foods, sewing Regency dresses, learning how to play the tin whistle, and water coloring. She lives in Arizona with her husband and two children. Having previously published four historical romance novellas, Georgana’s Secret is her debut novel.

WEBSITE | TWITTER | FACEBOOK | PINTEREST | INSTAGRAM

 | BOOKBUB | YOUTUBE | GOODREADS

Excerpt

Papa was in the cabin when Lieutenant Peyton came to retrieve his coat that night. Georgana did not know why her stomach twisted when her father expressed his surprise at the visit.

Georgana put her head down. She quickly finished off a last stitch on the coat and wove the tail of thread into the other stitches. The location of the hole made the repair more obvious

than the mending she had done on her father’s coat. She hoped it would meet the lieutenant’s expectations.

“George has been so kind as to mend my coat for me,” Lieutenant Peyton said.

Georgana felt Papa’s gaze. She had very little interaction with the men on the ship beyond relaying messages.

“Ah. I thought it was mine.” He feigned interest in the notes before him on the table, but Georgana saw him watching them.

“I’ve finished, sir.” She held out the coat to Lieutenant Peyton, but his eyes were on an open book sitting on the table. Her heart leaped into her throat. Her sketchbook.

The lieutenant picked it up and flipped through the pages. “Did you draw these, George?”

She wanted to pull his coat over her head. After finishing the mending, she had planned to make her first attempt at drawing a person. Thank heavens she hadn’t already begun.

“These are very good.” He held the book toward the lantern light, examining each image.

“They’re just waves,” Georgana said. She hoped the confession would dissuade him from continuing his perusal.

It didn’t. He gave each page more attention than the silly sketches deserved. “I can never grow tired of looking at waves. You have talent, George.”

Hardly. She bit her tongue, hoping to avoid blushing under his praise. “Your coat, sir.”

The lieutenant finally set down her book. “Thank you.” He inspected the mending. “If I did not already know you came from a naval family, I would ask your father’s profession, Mr. Taylor. Where did you learn how to do this?”

What did she say to that? Grandmother had made her learn mending.

Her father cleared his throat, turning the lieutenant’s attention back to him. “Has Jarvis’s temper cooled?”

Georgana relaxed. As much as she would have preferred to talk to the lieutenant alone, she was grateful her father had stayed in tonight.

“I believe so, sir.”

“Very good.”

Lieutenant Peyton held up his coat. “Thank you, George. Good evening, Captain.”

Her father followed him to the door and shut it behind the lieutenant. When the sound of Peyton’s footsteps faded, he whirled.

“Does he know?”

Georgana’s eyes widened. “No, Captain.”

Her father let out a breath. His hand rose to his forehead. “Peyton has shown a marked interest in you of late. Does he suspect?”

Georgana swallowed. “I don’t think so.” Papa remained unaware of the defense lessons with the lieutenant, and she didn’t think he would appreciate knowing. Keeping things from her

father came easily. More easily than it should. She had kept Grandmother’s mistreatment hidden most of her life.

“You must be careful in your interactions with the men on this ship. We cannot be too cautious.” He returned to the table and sat heavily. He picked up his pen again, dipped into the inkwell, and continued the notes from before Lieutenant Peyton’s visit. “I cannot understand why he would take an interest in you.”

“Perhaps . . .”

He looked up and waited.

“Perhaps he saw a lonely cabin boy who needed a friend.” Her voice came out small and shaky.

Papa stared at her, mouth open as if to speak. But no words came. Eventually he closed it and turned back to his work.

Georgana slipped her needle into its place in her trunk, then plucked up her book and pencils. She took them to the chair by the windows and set a lantern on a sill. Papa would have to be her first unsuspecting subject.

They didn’t speak again that night. She drew until her father lay on his cot and let down the curtains. When his exhales deepened, she stopped her work on his likeness and turned to a fresh sheet.

Georgana drew lines for the bulwark, then outlined a head and shoulders. Arms resting against the rail. Hair flying back. Eyes closed. Ends of his lips lifted. She held the book back to

examine her work. The picture did not look like the lieutenant.

Grandmother cried out in her head. Mistake! Mistake!

Her fingers slowly, quietly tore the page from her book. She eased the window open enough to stick her hand through and released the page into the night air. It drifted this way and that until coming to rest on the surface of the water. The paper tarried a moment, then faded into the deep.

Chapter 6 Pages. 51-54

Tour Schedule

Join the virtual blog tour of GEORGANA’S SECRET (Proper Romance Regency), Arlem Hawks’ highly acclaimed debut historical romance novel January 11 – February 14, 2021. Over forty-five popular blogs specializing in historical romance, inspirational fiction, and Austenesque fiction will join in the celebration of its release with excerpts, spotlights, and reviews of this new Regency-era novel set aboard a Royal Naval ship.

BLOG TOUR SCHEDULE:

Jan 11          My Jane Austen Book Club                           Excerpt

Jan 11          Austenprose — A Jane Austen Blog             Review

Jan 12          Wishful Endings                                            Review

Jan 12          Lu Reviews Books                                         Review

Jan 13          Lady with a Quill                                           Review

Jan 13          Timeless Novels                                            Review

Jan 14          Reading is My Superpower                            Review

Jan 14          The Bibliophile Files                                      Review

Jan 15          Randi Loves 2 Read                                      Review

Jan 16          The Christian Fiction Girl                               Excerpt

Jan 17          Nurse Bookie                                                 Review

Jan 18          The Silver Petticoat Review                           Review

Jan 18          Heidi Reads                                                   Review

Jan 19          Bookfoolery                                                   Review

Jan 20          Captivated Reading                                       Review

Jan 21          Greenish Bookshelf                                       Review

Jan 21          Bookworm Lisa                                             Review

Jan 22          Among the Reads                                         Review

Jan 23          Gwedalyn’s Books                                         Review

Jan 24          My Bookish Bliss                                          Review

Jan 25          Wishful Endings                                            Excerpt

Jan 25          Christian Chick’s Thoughts                           Review

Jan 26          Relz Reviewz                                                 Review

Jan 27          The Lit Bitch                                                  Review

Jan 28          Reading with Emily                                       Review

Jan 29          Books, Teacups & Reviews                           Review

Jan 30          A Darn Good Read                                         Review

Jan 31          From Pemberley to Milton                             Spotlight

Jan 31          Impressions in Ink                                         Review

Feb 01          Austenesque Reviews                                   Review

Feb 02          Laura’s Reviews                                            Review

Feb 03          Literary Time Out                                          Review

Feb 04          Chicks, Rogues & Scandals                          Excerpt

Feb 05          The Bluestocking                                         Review

Feb 05          Library of Clean Reads                                  Review

Feb 06          The Caffeinated Bibliophile                           Spotlight

Feb 07          So Little Time…                                             Spotlight

Feb 08          The Readathon                                              Review

Feb 09          The Book Diva Reads                                    Excerpt

Feb 09          Books and Socks Rock                                 Review

Feb 10          Our Book Confessions                                  Review

Feb 10          Encouraging Words from the Tea Queen      Spotlight

Feb 11          Rosanne E. Lortz                                           Review

Feb 11          Jorie Loves a Story                                       Review

Feb 12          Fire & Ice                                                       Excerpt

Feb 13          Cup of Tea with that Book, Please                Review

Feb 14          Book Confessions of an Ex-ballerina            Review

PURCHASE LINKS:

AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | BOOK DEPOSITORY | BOOKSHOP

| INDIEBOUND | DESERET BOOK | GOODREADS

Leave a Reply

CommentLuv badge